This is a blog filled with wonderful surprises that I am giving to you ... FOR FREE, just to help you get your Visiting Teaching done each month. It's a present for you every single month! Make sure to check out my other blog too at http://visitingteachingtips.blogspot.com for other Great Visiting Teaching and Relief Society oriented ideas!







Friday, December 19, 2008

Three Hairs - Author Unknown

A good friend of mine who lives in the state of Washington, sent this darling story to me via email. I loved it so much, I simply wanted to share it with you. I hope you get out of this story what I did. Oh, and I even gave a copy of it just for fun to my sisters I visit teach, as it went along nicely with part of a message that I gave this past year. Enjoy!


There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. "Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "H-M-M, " she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today." So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. "Well," she said, "Today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head....

"YEAH!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Conduit Chimes



I am going to make for my family a set of Conduit Chimes so that we can play them on Christmas Eve or whenever we want. I looked up on the Internet and found a page that gives all the directions on how to make them. This site will let you make 25 chimes starting with C - C sharp or D flat then going all the way up the scale two octaves. You could probably just do one octave if you like but the directions will let you make more. Go to http://bellsouthpwp.net/d/e/deb50dun/Physics%20Scan/Physics%20ideas/making%20wind%20Chimes.pdf I recommend that you print out the page.
My Mother recommends using copper pipe ( which is more expensive ) because it gives a more resinent sound, however she has always made them with the regular cheaper pipe.

I am also going to experiment with mallets as the only things I have ever used to strike the chimes with is either a spoon or a large nail. I am going to try to find a wooden bead and a wooden dowel and see what happens. I will let you know.

As far as directions to make a stand to hold them I am going to make one out of plastic PVC Pipe and joints. I don't know exactly how I will make it but if I figure a good one out, I will let you know.

I also found another site where they ahve Conduit Pipes or Chimes and the directions so you can go to either to see which works the best for you. The other site is located at http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wtsmith.com/giffiles/chimes.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.wtsmith.com/rt/projects.html&usg=__RrUrnLJE1dwr9nRV4JcKujPJU_Y=&h=405&w=610&sz=10&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=5rtMnVyg9LUDMM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=136&prev=/images%3Fq%3DConduit%2Bchimes%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG You can print the directions from the website and make them yourself. Have fun!

Monday, December 8, 2008

Christmas Star Gift



These are the words to "Star of Bethlehem" that I will be attatching to the little Christmas Star ornament that I will be giving as gifts.

The Star of Bethlehem

By Sally DeFord

High above the weary world, amid the stars of heaven
To men of old a wondrous sign of peace and hope was given
A brighter star was kindled there, to reign among the skies
To mark the way to Bethlehem and everlasting light
And high above the weary world, for eyes to see that will
The star of Bethlehem will shine for those who seek him still

High above the weary world it shone upon their road
And thus it led the wise men on, to seek a poor abode
And is there now no humble home to which its light may lead?
No quiet need? No tears of grief? No hungering soul to feed?
Look high above the weary world -- for eyes to see that will,
The star of Bethlehem will shine for those who seek him still

High above the weary world his star still shines for me
It bids me seek the Holy Child, adoring on bended knee
It beckons me through ages past, by countless years undimmed
It bids me serve his children now, thus to worship him
And high above the weary world, for eyes to see that will
The star of Bethlehem will shine for those who seek him still.

To download this song or print a copy of the music, go to http://www.defordmusic.com/thestarofbethlehem.htm

Friday, December 5, 2008

Teach the Children












I have finally completed the pages for the story that my family calls.."The Christmas Symbols", but is taken from the story "Teach the Children". This has been a family tradition since I was a child to do in a Family Christmas program on either Family Home Evening or on Christmas Eve. I have lots of fond memories of all the different Christmas Symbols. My suggestion is to download each picture and save on your computer to a file. Then open up your desktop publishing program or it might even work in MS Word. and size them to an 8 x 8 inch page. Print them off (best quality is on Photo paper or 2 sided brochure paper)and cut to size and slip them into an 8 x 8 inch scrapbook album. You can get these at Michael's, JoAnns, Roberts and other craft & scrapbook stores. Enjoy this tradition.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Cranberry Orange Cake Recipe note cards


I have put two note cards on one sheet of 11 x 8.5 paper for you to print. Make sure to print sideways instead of up and down. (landscape style) When you make up your mini cakes, be sure to slather on the frosting, and don't skimp. This really makes the cakes delicious. Place frosted cake tin in a cellophane bag and tie off with a Christmas ribbon. Attach the recipe note card to the bag. It Looks as good as it tastes!

The Friendly Beasts





The Friendly Beasts


Jesus our brother kind and good
Was humbly born in a stable of wood
And the friendly beasts around him stood
Jesus our brother kind and good

"I" said the donkey shaggy and brown
I carried his mother up hill and down
I carried him safely to Bethlehem town
"I" said the donkey shaggy and brown

And "I" said the cow all white and red
I gave him my manger for a bed
I gave him my hay for to pillow his head
"I" said the cow all white and red

"I" said the sheep with a curly horn
I have him my wool for his blanket warm
And he wore my coat on that Christmas morn
"I" said the sheep with a curly horn

"I" said the dove from the rafters high
Cooed him to sleep that he should not cry
We cooed him to sleep my love and I
"I" said the dove from the rafters high

And "I" said the camel all yellow and black
Over the desert upon my back
I brought him a gift in the wise men's pack
"I" said the camel all yellow and black

Thus every beast remembering it well
In the stable dark was so proud to tell
Of the gifts that they gave Emmanuel
The gifts that they gave Emmanuel

Monday, November 17, 2008

Glass Etching




I have inserted an example I found on the Internet of an etched glass casserole dish because I don't have a photo of my own and there are directions of how they did it at http://www.trishscrafts.com/glass_etching.html I think they must have been taught by someone who I have taught over the years because they use white contact paper to print on and I think that was my idea many years ago. But... I now do the easier thing and use sticker paper which feeds into the printer very easily. Otherwise, the instruction for glass etching can be found at the above blogsite.
If you need any questions answered about this project leave me a comment and I will get back to you. Thanks! Katie

You know what they say about old friends and antiques? They grow more valuable with time.

Glad that you dropped by my blog!

This blog and it's contents go hand in hand with my Visiting Teaching Tips and handouts blog found at http://visitingteachingtips.blogspot.com/ If you by accident get to this blog first, make sure to go back to the other one and see all that there is for you there. This is sort of my overflow or stroage blog because I can't keep everything there, so I add my creations to this storage unit and that is my Visiting Teaching Surprise for you. Sometimes however, I do put in things that I think you would enjoy even if they aren't specifically related to Visiting Teaching, but my vision in life is that if I take all the time to make things, I may as well share them and get more use out of them. Sorta like hand me downs but brand new "Down loads". I hope you enjoy these freebies. Drop me a note to say hello in the comments under the downloads posts.